Iran
South Korea to suspend imports of Iranian oil after EU ban
Paula Hancocks, CNN – June 26, 2012
South Korea said Tuesday that it will halt all Iranian oil imports from the start of July in response to a European Union insurance ban on tankers carrying crude from Iran.
How to Stop the Lose-Lose Game
Hossein Mousavian and Mohammad Ali Shabani , The National Interest – June 26, 2012
Although the nuclear talks in Moscow did not achieve concrete results, there is still time to get past the nuclear impasse. The Obama administration clearly isn’t interested in offering the Islamic Republic the kind of concessions that would allow it to back down. The key questions now are: Will President Obama, if reelected in November, be more flexible? And will Iran muster confidence that Obama can get U.S. political support for any agreement?
North Korea
South Korea to Sign Military Pact With Japan
Choe Sang-Hun, New York Times – June 28, 2012
Overcoming lingering historical animosities with its former colonial master, South Korea said on Thursday that it would sign a treaty with Japan that would encourage the sharing of sensitive military data on their common concerns: North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats and China’s growing military might.
Missile Defense
New U.S. Missile Interceptor Destroys Target in Second Successful Test
Global Security Newswire – June 27, 2012
A next-generation U.S. Standard Missile 3 interceptor on Tuesday completed its second successful intercept test over the Pacific Ocean , the Missile Defense Agency announced on Wednesday.
Defense Spending
U.S. leaders see fallout if joint missile funds nixed
Andrea Shalal-Esa, Reuters – June 28, 2012
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and his top weapons buyer warned U.S. lawmakers that failure to fund the final year of development work on a joint ground-based missile defense program with Italy and Germany could have serious diplomatic and financial consequences.
U.S. defense cut could cost billions to implement
Andrea Shalal-Esa, Reuters – June 27, 2012
he Pentagon may have to pay billions of dollars in termination fees and other contract penalties if Congress does not stop $500 billion in automatic defense spending cuts due to take effect on January 2, a top weapons industry executive said on Wednesday.
Afghanistan
Deadly Day for Afghan Police
New York Times – June 27, 2012
Ten police officers died in violence across Afghanistan on Wednesday, including the district chief of a counterterrorism unit in Herat Province in the west of the country, officials said.
